Earthworm Jim Hands-on

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We blast through a post-apocalyptic junkyard with the biggest worm in entertainment.

By Juan Castro

It's been a while, but it looks like Earthworm Jim stands poised for a comeback. Not one of those half-baked ones, either, but a legitimate return to former glory. Atari actually had the game on display at a recent event in Las Vegas, so naturally a few lucky IGN staffers scored some game time. One thing to note: while Earthworm Jim is in fact a PSP title, the build on display ran through a PS2 development kit, so there's not much to say regarding how it runs or feels on the PSP.

Ok, two things to note: the multiplayer portion of the game wasn't on display, either. Having said that, the available stage convinces anyone that yes, the spacesuit-wearing worm has indeed returned. More importantly, he's returned in proper form. The game plays very much like its 2D predecessors, meaning it blends snazzy animation with action and platform elements. Sounds like a dry description of an admittedly funky game, but that's Jim in a nutshell. What makes it special, though, lies strictly with how developer Shiny Entertainment mixes those elements to form something altogether groovy and unique.

Take the main character, for instance. He's a worm in a spacesuit. Not only is the concept funny, but it also lets you have an assortment of cool moves and game mechanics. Speaking of moves, fans will love the fact many of Jim's old abilities make a return. You can still use your entire body as a whip to attack enemies, or even as a hook to swing through the environment. You still get a rapid-fire blaster pistol to smoke villains, too, and it looks every bit as cool as it used to. That's not to say you won't find anything new, though.

In fact, there's plenty. Sadly, much of it didn't make it in time for Atari's show. The current build has about half the development cycle left to go, so there's plenty of optimization and finalization left to do. On top of that, the team has yet to finish the list of moves and upgrades available. Now, on to the facts: Jim will acquire different parts of his suit throughout the game, including gloves, boots and the main armor. You can then enhance these pieces through upgrades scattered about the game's eight stages.

As for the stages themselves, you can expect everything from post-apocalyptic junkyards to what the development team calls the "Birds and the Bees" stage. From what the representatives on hand said, each stage has multiple routes and secret areas. You can beat them in different ways and each earns you different bonuses. Not only that, each level also has its own boss and a number of mini-bosses. And yes, they all look traditionally cracked-out, just like the titular hero.

The level at the show took place in the aforementioned junkyard. It had a number of obstacles such as spiked floors, puddles of oil and the occasional burst of flames coming from old machinery. It also throws on a bunch of conveyer belts, which you need to bypass using the handy-dandy boot upgrade. You could also use the tires strewn about the stage to jump and access far-flung platforms. And, of course, you need to make use of that blaster and riddle enemies, such as guard dogs and buzzards, full of holes.

The boss in this stage looked like garbage because, well, that's what he was. Made up of old tires and assorted pieces of trash, he would turn into a ball and rocket across the screen smashing everything in site. He's the kind of problem that vanishes under the pressure of gunfire, though, so he goes down pretty easy.